The Marth Encounter
by DoceoPercepto
Summary: Meta Knight and Marth's first official meeting, told from Meta Knight's POV. Helps you understand their relationship in The Accident


It was late at night, the most comforting time for me. I stood on the deck of the Halberd, just watching the waves roll far across the ocean with my grey eyes. But even in these hours of night, I could not find peace in my unsettled mind. Today I'd taught Kirby another sword move during a training session, one he had quickly mastered. I was very proud of the pink one, and his speed in learning increased my confidence that he would be able defeat Nightmare when the time came. However, thinking back, I had realized my entire life had been spent fighting for, then against Nightmare. And now I was training Kirby to fight and defeat him. What would I do when he was vanquished? I was a fighter; what purpose would I have in a world of peace? Then there was Nightmare himself. All I felt was anger toward him, the very emotion he thrived on and derived power from. All the hate, all the barriers, what I was deep inside... Was I no better than him? I definitely was not innocent from taints as Kirby, a truly pure soul, was. After all, I already had plans to rule Dreamland. Nightmare's desire for domination had been what had started his horrific ways. So then I was like him, wanting to rule. What if the power and temptation grew too much for me? When Nightmare is gone, what will prevent me from becoming the next Emperor of Darkness? I always do what I believe is right, but what if I myself am wrong? These worries had been distracting me for a long time now, but I did not know how to assure myself that I was good. I wasn't even sure I could, especially when there was a part of me that did not want to be. Such musings made me feel sick, but I could not free myself of them.

My thoughts were suddenly broken by footsteps behind me.

Tensing, I turned and looked over my shoulder. It was the effeminate blue-haired swordsman, Marth. What could he possibly want? My yellow eyes followed him as he made his way closer. I gripped my dark blue cape tighter. What did he think he was doing? If he thought I wanted his pity, he was wrong. I wanted to be alone. I was meant to be alone. But it seems the ignorant prince could not sense that, and he walked causally up to me. I narrowed my eyes and waited for him to speak. Without saying a word, he sat down beside me and gazed out over the ocean. Taken by surprise, I stared. He didn't want to talk? That was unusual, and I turned suspicious. What was Marth's motive for not talking? What was he hoping to accomplish? Yet, maybe I was wrong to be suspicious. Marth was very shy, he might be expecting me to start a conversation. I said nothing. The fool had picked the wrong person to befriend. I wasn't interested in friendship. Still, I shifted uneasily. As the silence dragged on, I did not tear my eyes from the swordsman. He still had not met my gaze, nor had he uttered a single sound. I wondered if King DDD had set him up to this. But no... I could tell that Marth was not the kind of person to give in to greedy offers made by people like DDD. My mind flicked through several more reasons why Marth would join me, but each I found to be unlikely. So he was doing this upon his own free will. But why?

Finally, the prince acknowledged my hostile stare. He met my eyes and his lips tilted into a slightly nervous and brief, yet still warm, smile before he looked away. I was even more confused than before, a feeling which was fairly foreign to me. People generally left me alone. If anyone was foolish enough to try to engage me in meaningless conversation, then I'd make my want for solitude very clear to them. This was different, though. Marth wasn't really doing anything. He hadn't tried to talk about small insignificant topics that I could care less about. He also seemed content and patient, sitting and gazing at the horizon. At long last, I curved my eyes away from him.

Had he really only joined me for the sake of it? It was believable, I reasoned. Marth did seem like a very caring being. He didn't seem scared of me, like many of the Smashers appeared to be. And for some reason I couldn't fathom, he'd wanted my company. Even though we'd hardly spoken before in our life, he had come and sat by me, like an equal, like he didn't care who or what I was. That made me feel more at ease. I doubted the Altean prince was going to pry into my life or mention some pointless topic. The silence had grown less awkward to me; Marth's presence less intruding. I released the ends of my cape, sighing softly. A breeze rose off the waves and brushed past us. As it rippled our capes in unison, I discovered I was actually relaxing. It was strange and unique, how Marth had so easily made me drop my guard. But I did not question it, instead choosing to let myself be content this one time. By now, the silence was peaceful to me, almost like it was when I was alone, yet better, in a way. I felt completely at ease, even with the prince sitting beside me. We stayed that way for a while, both watching the darkening horizon, lost in our own thoughts. Deep down, I felt that the moment was very important, but I could not comprehend how. Instead, I just let the hands of fate act as they did. Any trace of the previous tension had been obliterated, and mutual understanding and peace had taken its place. A small smile flicked across my lips There, yet hidden by the cold metal mask.

Occasionally, I would sense his blue eyes peer over at me, and I would meet his curious regard. Each time, he'd lift his lips into a small smile, and I would simply look back at him. I meant my expression to be as benevolent as possible, even if I could not smile or show my serenity through my mask. But it seems that Marth was better at reading me than most, as he somehow understood what I was trying to convey. Each time he looked away, he appeared to be pleased.

I was secretly pleased as well, as we sat and watched darkness crawling its way across the sky and shading the deep orange waters below.

When the orange had darkened to almost black, Marth stood and stretched. I pulled out of my reverie and shifted my yellow orbs to him.

"Well," My companion said, "Its getting late and I'm gonna call it a night." Quickly, I let my line of sight travel back to the horizon. I didn't want to admit it, but I felt sad that the swordsman was leaving. Still, the blue-haired prince probably kept different hours than me, and it would be unlike me to ask him to stay. "Wanna go inside?" Marth suddenly offered. I blinked, then drew my eyes back to him. I was startled he had asked, and almost instinctively refused. But instead, I thought of how he'd cared enough to sit in my presence, respect my silence, and enjoy the night with me. He truly was kind, to join me despite other's fears and my own cold attitude. So, I nodded gently. Not because I owed it to him, but because I wanted to.

A last rush of wind swirled around us as we walked back together, fluttering our capes before they settled at our heels again. I strode away from the deck beside my friend. Because whatever he believed in his mind, I now held a slight respect for him and considered him as a friend. A distant one for now and perhaps always, but one just the same.


End file.
